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Hotel Sorrento
by Hannie Rayson
Essendon Theatre Company
Directed by Brett Turner
Reviewed by Nicky McFarlane - 14 May 2005
Appeared in Theatrecraft July 2005
Hotel Sorrento was written in 1984 and in some ways has not worn well. For a start it is written in the infuriating style first used by David Williamson and copied by many writers since: scenes only a few lines long (24 scenes in Act 1, 21 in Act II) It is the story of three sisters, meeting after ten years, but we do not get to the heart of it until Act II. The first Act is basically a diatribe - against the arrogance and snobbery of certain levels of British society, and against the intransigence of the Australian movers and shakers who refuse to support or even acknowledge the importance of the Arts. Quote: "In this country there is a suffocatingly oppressive sense that what you do as an artist is essentially self-indulgent." Was that ever true? Is it still true?
Hotel Sorrento is the family home, on the Peninsula, of the Moynihans. Wal (Peter Ryan), is a man of the country, rough and tough but in poor health. Hilary (Kris Weber) is the widowed mother of teenage Troy (Jake Kohler). Flying in from USA is Pippa (Carolyn Cusack) and from London Meg (Louise Anthony) and her husband Edwin (Adrian Valenta). Marge and Dick (Margaret Rawlinson and James Carlon) are weekenders who act as the Greek chorus.
Pippa has a successful career but has run home after a failed relationship. Meg has written a novel which has been short-listed for the Booker prize. The family read this as an invasion of their own lives, their own story, and are outraged. At this point Wal is drowned, and the sisters, emotionally fragile, at last confront their past together and are reconciled.
The highlight of this production is the beautiful, warm relationship between Hilary and Troy. He is in many ways a normal teenager, but with the troubled past of losing his Dad as a child, and now his grandpa, a death he feels responsible for. Jake Kohler, a Year 11 student is outstandingly good in this part, and the scenes with Kris Weber work splendidly. Remember his name, I believe we will see much more of him.
The standard of the acting is generally very good. Marge and Dick work well as a double act, commenting on the action and joshing each other as old friends do. Wal is a cheerful larrikin, unaware of the underlying tensions in the family. Hilary is the solid, dependable core of the home, putting her own desires aside to support her menfolk. Pippa comes across as Daddy's little girl, hiding her guilt and remorse by being flippant. Meg is the firebrand, constantly in a state of outrage at anyone and anything, and becoming stressed by her sudden fame. She is played with huge energy and rather a lot of shouting. Edwin, her patient husband, is seen by the family as a comic Pommy nitwit, but his gentle support of his fiery wife endears him to us. A nice balancing act. The interplay between the sisters is beautifully handled.
The Essendon stage is vast, and the set is rather stark. A backing of cream flats with openings centre and each side, and a portion of jetty downstage centre. At stage right is Marge's area, just folding chairs, beers, fishing rods and Meg's book. Stage left is Meg and Edwin's London apartment, no furniture, and the rest of the expanse is the Moynihan home, a couch, an ironing board, a folding table. The scene changes in this setting were smooth and swift. I have seen two productions here and obviously the limitations of the stage make difficulties, but the high standard of performance makes up for the basic sets.
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